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017450
MDLIAN 2439
OF LEGISLATION. HE SAW NO PROBLEM IN MAKING THE KWD SELF
FINANCING WITHIN A FEW YEARS. ONE OF HIS AIMS SINCE TAKING OVER AS DIRECTOR HAD BEEN TO GIVE A POLITICAL DIMENSION TO CONSERVATION
IN KENYA WHHCH HAD HITHERTO BEEN LACKING.
6. THE STATUS OF THE ANTI POACHING UNIT (APU) HAD NOW BEEN AGREED WITH THE GOVERNMENT. IT WOULD COME UNDER THE KWD, BUT POLICE CONCERN WOULD BE ALLAYED BY A STRONG LEAVENING OF SECONDED POLICEMEN, INCLUDING A MAJORITY OF THE OFFICERS. HE HAD BEEN GIVEN A VETO ON THE SELECTION OF THE OFFICERS AND HAD OBTAINED AGREEMENT
FOR THE APU TO BE ARMED WITH SEMI AUTOMATIC RIFLES, AS WELL AS .303.
7. HE DID NOT NEED TRAINING ASSISTANCE FOR THE APU. HE HAD BEEN APPROACHED BY SEVERAL BRITISH SECURITY COMPANIES AND TOLD THE PRESS
THAT HE DID NOT NEED THE SAS. ALREADY THE UNIT WAS STARTING TO PRODUCE GOOD RESULTS. HE HAD RECRUITED A NUMBER OF SOMALIS WHO WERE MORE THAN READY TO CONFRONT THE SHIFTA (BRIGANDS, MANY OF THEM DESERTERS FROM THE SOMALI ARMY WHO HAD TAKEN THEIR AK47S WITH THEM) WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALMOST ALL THE ELPHANT POACHING. THEY HAD TURNED TO ATTACKS ON TOURISTS IN AN EFFORT TO DETER THEM. IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS NO ELEPHANT HAD BEEN POACHED IN THE
GAMEPARKS AND ONLY TWO OUTSIDE THEM.
8.
A
B
HIS NEEDS WERE:
AMMUNITION, BOTH .303 AND .762
HELICOPTERS. WE ATTEMPTED TO PERSUADE HIM OF THE EXPENSE AND THE DIFFICULTY THE KWD WOULD EXPERIENCE IN OPERATING AND MAINTAINING THEM. HOWEVER HE ASKED FOR THE PRICE OF THE ALOUETTES WHICH HE HAD BEEN TOLD THE BRITISH ARMY WERE ABOUT TO PUT UP FOR
SALE.
C
NIGHT VISION DEVICES, ONLY ABOUT TWELVE. THESE WOULD ENABLE THE APU TO TAKE ON THE POACHERS AT AN ADVANTAGE.
D
E
RADIOS.
VEHICLES. HE TURNED DOWN A SUGGESTION THAT THE BRITISH ARMY MIGHT BE ABLE TO ASSIST IN SETTING UP A MAINTENANCE SYSTEM FOR THE KWD.
9.
HE COULD NOT YET SEE HIS WAY TO COMMITTING FINANCE FOR MATERIAL FOR THE ROYAL ENGINEERS EXERCISE IN SPRING 91, BUT HOPED IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE. THIS KIND OF WORK WAS SECOND PRIORITY. SOME FINANCE MAY BE AVAILABLE FROM THE NEW YORK 200.
10. COMMENT: LEAKEY MAY HAVE BEEN COMPELLED TO REJECT BRITISH
TRAINING ASSISTANCE FOR POLITICAL REASONS. WE HAD HEARD THAT THE KENYA ARMY HAD SAID THERE WAS NO NEED TO BRING IN FOREIGNERS,
THEY COULD DO IT.
11.
LEAKEY GLADLY ACCEPTED INVITATION TO MEET CGS FOR EARLY LUNCH ON SUNDAY 1 OCT AT DA'S HOUSE.
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